Put an aftermarket steering wheel with no airbag on a vehicle that was originally equiped with an airbag. Have a brother in law that bought a 97 Ranger with a deployed airbag. He was going to go to Advanced auto and buy a aftermarket steering wheel and slap it on. Would this be a problem when he decides to sell it later?
Is it illegal to.....
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get a used bag for like $60 from a junkyard
Can an average joe install the bag or does it need to be installed by a pro?
Originally Posted By: parimento1
get a used bag for like $60 from a junkyard
Does not work any more. First the yards have caught on and are getting full price.
2nd the air bags won't work untill you reprogram the computer.
get a used bag for like $60 from a junkyard
Does not work any more. First the yards have caught on and are getting full price.
2nd the air bags won't work untill you reprogram the computer.
Whats the price of the air bag? Whats your life worth.
If my car came with one, I would do everything possible to put it back. That could be like removing the seatbelt because it broke in a crash, bad idea.
Good God man spend the money.
Edit.
If not illegal, then you could find yourself or your estate liable, if anyone gets hurt as a result of your actions.
If my car came with one, I would do everything possible to put it back. That could be like removing the seatbelt because it broke in a crash, bad idea.
Good God man spend the money.
Edit.
If not illegal, then you could find yourself or your estate liable, if anyone gets hurt as a result of your actions.
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What morepower said. I would never sell/trade the vehicle without a functioning air bag. Which you may or may not get in a junkyard.
The next owner (if injured by lack of functioning air bag) will have everything you will ever own when the courts finish with you.
PS-If you live in a state that inspects the safety of your vehicle and not just the emissions yearly, all original factory safety equipment must be in place and in working order to pass.
The next owner (if injured by lack of functioning air bag) will have everything you will ever own when the courts finish with you.
PS-If you live in a state that inspects the safety of your vehicle and not just the emissions yearly, all original factory safety equipment must be in place and in working order to pass.
the only time i would ever remove an airbag is on a track car. that being said, the car in question would have an FIA approved cage, 6 point harness, proper racing seat, etc.
Originally Posted By: glennc
I sense political correctness at work here.
I don't. I think it's just a bad idea. I would personally do everything to make sure it worked it if came with one. It's only your own head on the line. If you don't care, by all means.
I sense political correctness at work here.
I don't. I think it's just a bad idea. I would personally do everything to make sure it worked it if came with one. It's only your own head on the line. If you don't care, by all means.
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Sorry, but that is not even caveat emptor. There is no airbag there. It’s not like he jimmy rigged the wiring so it wouldn’t work. it’s just not there. I think as is where is would be just fine. If you can’t see the lack of an airbag, you shouldn’t be driving in the first place.
I'm somewhat mixed opinion on this subject. The guy is my brother in law, so I would hate to see any harm come to him in the event of an accident. By the same token, I have had only one daily driver in my lifetime that had an airbag and have never had an airbag (wife's cars) deploy on me. Driving without an airbag is not a certain death sentence, if so I would not be typing today. Replacing the steering wheel with an after market wheel plainly indicates the vehicle is no longer equipped with an airbag. No fooling a potential buyer if he ever decides to sell. Yes, I was concerned with the safety aspect, but the legal aspect as well. Hopefully he's checking in on this to read the opinions. The more the better. Thanks for the responses.
Look into your states vehicle equipment laws. You may find something there to the effect that vehicles equiped with x parts must have them in operating conditions at all times.
afaik, illegal nationwide
Ask the NHTSA
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.9bf1623441fb228891e67a1090008a0c/
Ask the NHTSA
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.9bf1623441fb228891e67a1090008a0c/
It's pretty easy to replace an air bag on the car.
OH my God I been driving for 60 years 42 of them as long distance trucker and after millions of miles without an airbag I now find out you must have one.
Originally Posted By: gtx510
afaik, illegal nationwide
Ask the NHTSA
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.9bf1623441fb228891e67a1090008a0c/
Can you point out where it says anything is illegal?
afaik, illegal nationwide
Ask the NHTSA
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.9bf1623441fb228891e67a1090008a0c/
Can you point out where it says anything is illegal?
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Here's the catch 22 that will nail you.
Do you say on the bill of sale the car has no airbag?
If you don't they'll sue you for failing to disclose.
If you do they'll get you for knowingly selling a substandard car.
That would be an almost impossible lawsuit to prosecute, I believe. You would have to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the seller failed to disclose the missing airbag, which would be visually obvious in the case of a racing-type steering wheel.
As for selling a substandard car, there is nothing illegal about that. A person has a right to buy (or sell) a car in any state of disrepair, up to and including a car that is only good for parts or for scrap.
I would say, if you were to sell a car without an airbag, it might be smart to put that in writing just to be on the safe side.
Here's the catch 22 that will nail you.
Do you say on the bill of sale the car has no airbag?
If you don't they'll sue you for failing to disclose.
If you do they'll get you for knowingly selling a substandard car.
That would be an almost impossible lawsuit to prosecute, I believe. You would have to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the seller failed to disclose the missing airbag, which would be visually obvious in the case of a racing-type steering wheel.
As for selling a substandard car, there is nothing illegal about that. A person has a right to buy (or sell) a car in any state of disrepair, up to and including a car that is only good for parts or for scrap.
I would say, if you were to sell a car without an airbag, it might be smart to put that in writing just to be on the safe side.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: parimento1
get a used bag for like $60 from a junkyard
Does not work any more. First the yards have caught on and are getting full price.
2nd the air bags won't work untill you reprogram the computer.
OK, I'll speak from experience as a guy that used to own a salvage yard. Many many salvage yards sell bags. They are not used bags, they were never deployed. They are pulled from salvage cars, and work just like they should. For a vehicle like a 97 ranger, a set of bags is going to go for around 200 bucks with the module. Look around on car-part.com and make some phones calls. You can even get the matching color for the dash.
For a 97 ranger, you need to replace the bag, and the airbag module, not the computer. When you buy a pair of airbags, most yards include the module because you need it. It is just the electronics brain for the airbags. You may also need the sensors for the front bumper, again these are plug and play.
Replacing bags in a 97 ranger is cake. I think its two bolts. Disconnect the battery, pull the fuse, and use common sense. The bag isn't going to blow up in your face unless you put a charge at it, just use common sense and you will be fine.
Originally Posted By: gtx510
afaik, illegal nationwide
Ask the NHTSA
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.9bf1623441fb228891e67a1090008a0c/
Repacking airbags is illegal. Buying used, non deployed airbags is legal in every state except New York, and one other state.
Since I was in New York, I had to ship my airbags to another yard in PA, and sell them from there.
It was stupid, customers would drive to PA to buy bags from me due to the legal issues, and they would put them into their New York cars, and call it a day.
You don't want to sell the truck without an airbag, buying a used system is very cheap.
Originally Posted By: parimento1
get a used bag for like $60 from a junkyard
Does not work any more. First the yards have caught on and are getting full price.
2nd the air bags won't work untill you reprogram the computer.
OK, I'll speak from experience as a guy that used to own a salvage yard. Many many salvage yards sell bags. They are not used bags, they were never deployed. They are pulled from salvage cars, and work just like they should. For a vehicle like a 97 ranger, a set of bags is going to go for around 200 bucks with the module. Look around on car-part.com and make some phones calls. You can even get the matching color for the dash.
For a 97 ranger, you need to replace the bag, and the airbag module, not the computer. When you buy a pair of airbags, most yards include the module because you need it. It is just the electronics brain for the airbags. You may also need the sensors for the front bumper, again these are plug and play.
Replacing bags in a 97 ranger is cake. I think its two bolts. Disconnect the battery, pull the fuse, and use common sense. The bag isn't going to blow up in your face unless you put a charge at it, just use common sense and you will be fine.
Originally Posted By: gtx510
afaik, illegal nationwide
Ask the NHTSA
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.9bf1623441fb228891e67a1090008a0c/
Repacking airbags is illegal. Buying used, non deployed airbags is legal in every state except New York, and one other state.
Since I was in New York, I had to ship my airbags to another yard in PA, and sell them from there.
It was stupid, customers would drive to PA to buy bags from me due to the legal issues, and they would put them into their New York cars, and call it a day.
You don't want to sell the truck without an airbag, buying a used system is very cheap.
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